


you've got the love

by madburnish



Category: Promare (2019)
Genre: M/M, Mild Descriptions of Horror, Mostly Fluff, Post-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-21
Updated: 2020-02-21
Packaged: 2021-02-27 20:15:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,028
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22831615
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/madburnish/pseuds/madburnish
Summary: Lio and Galo go to see a movie for Valentine's Day.Written for Sugar &  Ashes, a Valentine's Day Zine.
Relationships: Lio Fotia/Galo Thymos
Comments: 2
Kudos: 48





	you've got the love

“We _ just  _ ate, do we really need to stand in line for snacks?” Lio asked, looking hesitantly at the lines of people in front of them, crowding around the concessions stand, chattering excitedly about whatever movie it was that they were about to see. Everyone was packed like sardines--it was one of the busiest crowds Lio had been in a long time, and it left him and Galo standing  _ close. _

“Of  _ course _ we need snacks,” Galo rolled his eyes, as if the question was ridiculous, “I know you haven’t been to the movies in a while, but it’s a package deal. And I promised you a  _ real _ date, so I’m gonna deliver.”

“If you say so,” But Lio wasn’t sold, they had already had dinner and a desert--at a place that wasn’t even a pizza parlor. It was probably the most “real” date they had ever had, even though it was still pretty casual as far as Valentine’s Day went. That was fine, Lio liked it better this way. There wasn’t any pretension. Besides, after so long on the run and rebuilding the city getting to sit down somewhere nice to eat and watch a movie in an actual theater was its own kind of luxury. 

“Trust me. The line is moving fast, we’ll be in our seats in no time,” Galo said, casually snaking an arm around Lio to pull him closer before he leaned in to kiss his cheek.

Lio nearly froze, he could feel his cheeks heating up--sure Galo was like this almost all the time, but they weren’t just around their friends right now, there were strangers everywhere and it was  _ different _ .

“Hmm?” Galo had that cute dopey look on his face, and that almost made Lio feel even more flustered. Sometimes he couldn’t believe the reactions that this man could pull out of him. Galo was actually looking at him now, and then grinning again, no doubt because he had spotted the color spreading across Lio’s face.

“Awww, Lio, that’s cute. Are you embarrassed?” At least  _ someone _ was amused.

“I’m not, no, we’re in public. We should behave like it,” Lio tried to sound measured, because he wasn’t  _ embarrassed _ . 

Galo’s grin only split wider, if that was even possible, “You sure?” He didn’t hesitate to lean in and kiss Lio’s cheek once, and then twice more for good measure.

Lio’s face felt like it was on fire, but not in any way that he was truly familiar with. “Galo, please.” Galo paused, and for a moment Lio thought he would swoop in again, but instead he just pulled his arm away from around Lio and took his hand instead. 

“Better?” He asked, squeezing softly, his voice a little softer, his expression considerate.

“Yes, better.” Lio said, even though he felt like he might get flustered again because Galo knew so much about him. He was so  _ good _ in so many ways, so exuberant and so full of life, but more than anything, he just had this intuition. Sometimes it made Lio feel overexposed, breathless with how easily Galo seemed to be able to take in some new piece of information about him, synthesize it, and respond so in tune.

If Galo had anything else he was going to say, he was cut off when the line moved ahead of them. His attention quickly shifted to the frazzled cashier as he rattled off a dizzying amount of snacks and candy. It was enough that Lio had to shove boxes into his pockets, so he could carry the drinks while Galo took the huge bucket of popcorn.

“Think we have enough?” Lio asked dryly, as they made their way out of the crowded concession area towards the auditorium. 

“Hey! it's better to be safe than sorry. A firefighter with a burning soul like mine is  _ always  _ prepared,” Galo said, very seriously, as he took a bite of popcorn straight from the bucket.

Lio could only smile, laughing softly at him, “If you say so. But I’m going to say I told you so when we don’t finish all of it.”

“When we have any delicious snack we want during the movie,  _ you’ll _ be thanking  _ me. _ ” Galo insisted, glancing back at Lio as they made their way to a pair of seats, dodging knees and purses as they navigated the aisle.

It still felt a little surreal. With everything that had happened over the past year, even totally ordinary things still felt like novelties. They had been together for a while now, but in the earlier days they had never had time to go on dates. They had spent so much time working and rebuilding, the closest they got was going to the pizza parlor, or the diner down the block. Maybe that was why Galo had been so insistent the whole night that it be like a “real” date? It wasn’t like Lio knew any better--he hadn’t been on much of  _ any _ kind of date before.

“Hey,” Galo whispered, nudging Lio in the arm as the lights went dim, “This is my favorite part. Want to raise our arms up, like we’re actually on a roller coaster?”

“Galo,” Lio snickered, nudging him back, “Do you want us to get kicked out?”

“Oh, if you want to get kicked out, I have better ideas for that,” Galo said, and Lio didn’t need to be able to see his face in the dim lighting to know he was wiggling his eyebrows suggestively. It was one thing to be suggestive when they were in the comfort of Galo’s (no,  _ their)  _ apartment, but it felt totally different to let all of these other people see.

“Hush, I want to pay attention,” Lio whispered. He hoped that the dim lighting would work in his favor too, that Galo wouldn’t be able to see that he was flustered again, but somehow he doubted it was working in his favor, either.

“Okay!” Galo said, seemingly admitting defeat, before he quickly butted in with another comment, “Hey, not gonna get scared, are you?” He teased gently, voice tinged with amusement.

“Of course not, I’ll be fine.” Lio said. And then, incredibly, Galo  _ did _ hush. He snuck in a few comments during the trailers, but by the time the opening scenes rolled in, the only sound coming from his mouth was the crunch of the popcorn he was shoveling into his mouth. Honestly? Galo’s silence was  _ almost _ as unworldly as the eerie string music that accompanied the opening scene of the movie.

The movie opened as a young couple moved into an old house, but they were quickly disturbed by strange occurrences. At first, the hokey phenomenon were hardly frightening, but the tension built up in the movie more quickly than he had expected. Before long, Lio was on the edge of his seat, nervously watching as the women tried to pretend there was nothing wrong. Suddenly, the camera jerked over to show the first glimpse of the thing that had been haunting them. The ghoulish figure was barely visible in the darkness of the shadows that surrounded it, except for its bright red eyes. The music spiked sharply upon its reveal, and Lio’s heart hammered with it as he nearly jumped from his seat. 

“You okay?” Galo whispered, as quietly as he could manage around a mouthful of sour gummies.

“I’m fine,” Lio replied, looking back at the screen determinedly. He hadn’t been expecting it, was all.

But as the movie continued, he was quickly proven wrong. He tried to tell himself that the special effects weren’t even  _ that _ convincing, but each time that lurking figure appeared, he found that he tensed up. He clenched his hands so hard that his knuckles went white, had to remember to take a breath. His heart was about to pound out of his chest, the rapid, nervous flutter syncing with the crescendo and--

Lio nearly screamed in time with the protagonist as the ghost came from seemingly out of nowhere and grabbed her with its clawed skeletal hand, then pulled her into the darkness of the cellar. He stopped himself from making a sound, but he blindly flung his arm out, knocking a box of candy from Galo’s hand as he grabbed onto him. Lio could feel Galo looking at him, but he steadfastly kept his eyes on the screen.

For a moment, he thought he might be fine--but it wasn’t over. There was a wicked struggle between the woman and the ghostly being. It revealed its true form, a twisted mockery of a skeletal face with too many eyes and too sharp teeth. Lio flinched, twisting away to press his face into Galo’s shoulder. Galo took his hand and squeezed, and Lio watched from the corner of his eye as the woman’s lover  _ finally _ arrived with the relic they had been looking for earlier. For a moment she struggled to set it alight, and Lio’s heart leapt, until the wooden doll finally caught fire. She ran towards her partner to hold her, and together they watched as the evil spirit wafted away, dissipating into the smoke of the small fire.

Even as the final scenes of the movie played, Lio did not dare to unwrap himself from around Galo’s arm or let go of his hand. The music finally slowed into something softer, and with it his heart slowly resumed a steady beat. He blinked as the overhead lights slowly filtered back on.

“Oh man, was that good or what?” Galo exclaimed loudly. He was already moving, collecting their half emptied boxes of candy. He stuffed what he could fit his back pockets as he stood up and stretched out, offering a hand to Lio

“Yeah,” Lio said, swallowing, as he took Galo’s hand and stood up, “Let’s get out of here.”

“After you, babe,” Galo replied cheerfully, because of course he was _completely_ unaffected by what they had just seen. Meanwhile, Lio nearly jumped _again_ when someone pushed by them as they were leaving. He used it as an excuse to press into Galo’s side, and Galo certainly did not miss the opportunity to wrap an arm around him and pull him in even closer. 

Lio was waiting for it, as soon as they started walking outside. He knew it was coming.

“So,” Galo started, “I thought you said you weren’t gonna get scared?”  _ There it was _ , but the way Galo said it, with so much fondness and care in his voice, it was clear that he wasn’t even  _ really _ teasing, so much as he was checking in on him.

“I didn’t know what to expect,” It was half an excuse and half a confession.

“Well, think about it this way, you don’t have to be scared of whatever that thing was. I mean, you  _ know _ how much I don’t like setting fires, but I’ll set a fire to protect you from an angry vengeful spirit any day,” As with everything, Galo said it with such complete and total conviction. As if they hadn’t already been through enough together that Lio wouldn’t know that he would, Galo had practically almost done  _ exactly _ that for him already!

It still didn’t hurt to hear it again, though, it never did. That was what  _ really _ made him heart race, the thought of how he managed to earn such devotion and loyalty. 

“Couldn’t I just set the fire myself?” Lio asked, thoughtfully, as he glanced up at Galo. The warm smile on his face had already thawed out the remaining chills, and thoughts of otherworldly monsters were long gone. 

“And ruin my grand romantic, self-sacrificing gesture? If I don’t have a grand gesture to save you, I’m pretty sure I’m a goner. That’s how it works.”

“Oh, is that so?”

“Yup,” Galo said, with a grim nod, “That is so.”

Lio hummed thoughtfully for a moment, before he finally leaned in to kiss Galo softly, “Guess we’ll have to watch some more at home, for research. Oh, by the way,” he added, reaching around to grab Galo’s ass, or more accurately, the box of candy in his back pocket, “I told you so.”

  
  



End file.
